League leaders Oxford failed to score for the first time this season after a solid all-round performance and dogged rearguard action from Harriers who played the last half-hour with ten men.

New loan signing Craig Nelthorpe was the only change to the team that had beaten Grays at the weekend, coming in for his debut in place of Michael McGrath who did not even make the subs' bench. The change did not disrupt Harriers, however, who carried on where they had left off in the previous game in a lively opening to the match which ebbed and flowed from end to end.

After some early probing by both sides United were the first to look like breaking the deadlock; Andy Burgess' 20-yard free-kick beat the wall and sailed over the bar by a narrow margin. Shortly afterwards a corner from the left found Barry Quinn unmarked but his downward header was parried by Scott Bevan and scrambled away. Oxford looked dangerous on the break and Chris Hargreaves went close with a 25-yard drive that went narrowly wide of Bevan's right-hand post.

Harriers also were knocking the ball around quite well and attacking with tempo; Stuart Whitehead won the ball near his own penalty area and found Gavin Hurren with a quick pass, he quickly set Simon Russell away on the right wing who beat his man but his cross was cleared. A deep cross from the right by Paul Bignot found Reuben Reid whose looping header dropped just over the bar.

Back at the other end Carl Pettefer broke free and looked certain to call Bevan into action until Whitehead threw himself in the way to block his attempted shot. Another sweeping move by Harriers late in the half almost opened up the visitors' defence, Michael Blackwood's long clearance found Reid and his crossfield pass picked out Russell who set up Bignot for another deep cross but after Nelthorpe had headed back into the goalmouth Oxford managed to hack the ball clear. In stoppage time Oxford's leading scorer Robert Duffy's header from Pettefer's cross was cleared off the line by Creighton.

The game was similarly open in the second half, and surprisingly entertaining for a goalless game. Harriers' best chance fell to Nelthorpe who received the ball in the inside-left channel and carried it forward before hitting a 25-yard shot the was straight at Billy Turley in the United goal and easy for him to gather. Russ Penn set Russell away on the right who got into a good position and sent a low cross across the face of goal that evaded everyone.

Harriers suffered a major setback just after the hour mark when Bignot received his marching orders after a late, over-the-top, challenge on Hargreaves. Harriers did not rest on the drawing position that they were in and left two men in attack, sacrificing a midfielder instead as Jake Sedgemore came on for Nelthorpe and took Bignot's place at the back.

United pressed forwards with an extra attacker for a time, but rather than one of their dangerous forwards it was one of their central defenders who went closest to scoring when Phil Gilchrist got his head to Pettefer's right-wing corner but got little power into his effort and Bevan saved. At the other end Penn set Russell away through the middle but he mis-hit his shot and it caused Turley no problem.

In the closing minutes there were some heart-in-mouth moments for Harriers as the visitors had two shouts for penalties turned down; Whitehead won the ball with a sliding tackle on Yemi Odubade who fell over the defender's outstretched leg and then later duffy fell theatrically with no contact having been made with him. Harriers survived both appeals,referee Gary Lewis waved play on, and saw out the rest of time for a deserved point.

KidderminsterHarriers.com

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